"Well, yes, it might have been a tramp, though we haven't seen any around here since we've been in camp. However, if a pie is all they took we don't need to worry."
"Perhaps the poor man was hungry," said Mrs. Brown. "I'm sure I hope he enjoys my pie."
"He couldn't help liking it," said Bunny Brown. "Your pies are always so good, Mother!"
"I'm glad to hear you say that," exclaimed Mrs. Brown. "Well, we have enough for the next two days, anyhow, and I'll bake again to-morrow."
"Splash didn't take the pie," said Sue, "'cause he was with us in the boat."
"Then it must have been the tramp," Mrs. Brown said. "Never mind, we won't worry any more about it. Did you have a nice time?"
Then they told about their little fishing trip. When Uncle Tad came back from his walk in the woods, he, too, had to be told of the missing pie. Uncle Tad shook his head.
"We'll have to lock up everything around our camp if tramps are going to come in and take our pies, and the other good things Mother Brown makes," he said with a smile. "Or else one of us will always have to stay here to keep watch."
"I wish we had Tom Vine back," said Bunny. "I wonder where he is?"
Of course no one knew, and Mr. Brown began to think that, after all, Tom had done just as Mr. Trimble had said—had run away.